Piccolo is the Namekian born to kill Goku who ends up as one of his most trusted allies, as well as Gohan's teacher and practically his second father. His egg appears at the end of chapter 161 of the manga, in early 1988, when the defeated King Piccolo passes his revenge on to an heir.
Who he is
Kami, Earth's guardian, and King Piccolo were once a single being: a Namekian who arrived on Earth as a child and, in order to become the planet's protector, cast the evil out of his heart. That dark half became King Piccolo, and Piccolo is both his son and his reincarnation. The two remain linked: if one dies, so does the other, and Earth's Dragon Balls vanish with them.
Only later does Piccolo learn that he belongs to an alien people, the Namekians, warriors and Dragon Ball makers from the planet Namek.
His story across the series
- Dragon Ball: after three years of training he enters the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament under the name Ma Junior. He reaches the final and loses to Goku, who spares his life.
- Dragon Ball Z: he teams up with Goku to stop Raditz and finishes him with the Special Beam Cannon. He takes Gohan away to train him and, when the Saiyans arrive, dies shielding the boy from Nappa: the moment the demon becomes an ally for good. On Namek he fuses with the warrior Nail, and when Cell appears he merges back with Kami, becoming a single being once again.
- Dragon Ball Super: he is the group's voice of reason and Pan's babysitter. In the 2022 film Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero he shares the lead with Gohan and, thanks to Shenron, gains a new transformation, Orange Piccolo.
- Dragon Ball Daima: shrunk like the others, he travels with Goku into the Demon Realm, where the group meets the old Namekian Neva and finds the Namekians' original homeworld.
- Dragon Ball GT: he sacrifices himself by staying on Earth as it explodes and ends up in Hell, where he keeps the rowdiest souls in line.
Powers, techniques and transformations
| Technique or ability | Notes |
|---|---|
| Special Beam Cannon (Makankosappo) | The piercing beam that kills Raditz (Z) |
| Masenko | Passed on to Gohan |
| Regeneration | He can regrow lost limbs |
| Stretching limbs and giant form | Classic Namekian abilities |
| Fusion with Nail and with Kami | Two leaps in power in the Frieza and Cell sagas |
| Orange Piccolo | Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero |
Piccolo is not a Saiyan, so the golden forms are off the table. He makes up for it with strategy, a cool head and a knowledge of techniques that makes him the best teacher in the group.
Relationships
- Gohan is the centre of his emotional life: he trains him as a child, dies for him and keeps protecting him into adulthood.
- Goku is the sworn enemy who becomes a comrade; between them there is respect more than friendship.
- Kami is his other half, and their reunion is a sacrifice for both.
- Dende, a young Namekian, takes over from Kami as Earth's guardian.
Why he is iconic: our take
Piccolo proves that Dragon Ball can turn its villains around without forcing it. His shift from demon to mentor happens through Gohan: it is not Goku who wins him over, but a child who looks at him with trust. When he dies protecting the boy from Nappa, you know this character is never going back.
He is also the most grown-up figure in the saga: he watches, plans and steps aside when needed. Super Hero finally gave him the leading role many fans had been waiting for, showing off his dry humour and his protective streak. Toriyama himself said he built that film around the Gohan and Piccolo relationship.
Did you know? In 2013 the Special Beam Cannon became a photo craze in Japan, with schoolgirls posing as if firing or being hit by Piccolo's technique.
Trivia
- Like everyone in King Piccolo's line, he is named after a musical instrument, the piccolo flute. In the Namekian language, "piccolo" also means "different world".
- As a newborn he was voiced in Japanese by Hiromi Tsuru, Bulma's voice actress, before Toshio Furukawa took over for the adult character.
- In Funimation's English dub he is voiced by Christopher Sabat, who also plays Vegeta.